Process of distilling petroleum.



Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. E. HUMPHREYS. PROCESS OF DISTILLING PETROLEUM.

APPLICATION TILED JAN.20,1914.

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D JAN. 20,1914.

SSHEET 2.

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ED STATES BQBEBT E. HUMPHREYS, OF WHITING, INDIANA, ASSIGNOB. TO STANDARD OIL QQMPANY, OF CHIQAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

PROCESS OF DISTILLINGI PETROLEUM.

Patented Dec. 22,1914.

Application filed January 20, 1914. Serial No. 813,220.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Ronnn'r E. HUM- rr-msrs, a citizen of the United States, residin at Whiting, in the county of Lake and r tate of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Processes of Distilling Petroleum, of which the following is a, specification.

My invention" consists in an lmproved process for distilling petroleum. Its ob ect is to furnish a procedure for the treatment of fuel-oil or other hydrocarbons mainly of the paraflin series, having a relatively high boiling point, i. e. upward of 500 F., by means of which to obtain products of lower boiling points, such as asolene.

A desirable apparatus or use in the practice of my process is shown in the accom:

panying drawings, in which--- Figure 1 is a sectional side elevatlonof the preferred still, and Fig, 2 is a section on the line 9. of Fig. l.

The still is enerally indicated by the character 3, an is provided with covered manholes 4 and 5 in one end and its top, respectively. A vapor-outlet pipe 6 leads from the top of the still to a condenser (not shown), and a valved draw-off pipe 7 for the liquid residue leads from near the still-bottom through the top. Insulating material 8 covers the still, as usual; and the still surmounts a brick structure forming a furnace 9, from which the hot products of combustion pass over a bridge-wall 10 and discharge through a flue 11.

The apparatus as so far described is of known construction, and may be used for the distillation of high-boiling pointhydrocarbons, such as fue -oil, to roduce therefrom low-boiling point pro ucts, such as gasolene, in accordance with known methods of procedure asset forth, for instance, in patents to William M. Burton, No. 1,049,667, January 7, 1913, and No. 1,055,707, March 11, 1913. In such procedure, a liquid body of fuel-oil or other high boiling point hydrocarbon is subjected to a pressure of about 4 to 5 atmospheres, so as to require a temperature of from 650 to 850 F. for its distillation, the pressure exerted being the back pressure of the distilled vapors Such pressure may beconveniently obtained in the still by the use of a controlled outlet for the gaseous p'roducts of distillation.

temperature and pressure,

sible burning out of the still-bottom if the distillation be not then stopped. This coking action thus imposes a fairly definite time limit on the run.

I have discovered that if the high-boilin point hydrocarbons, While at the prescribed be brought into contact ,with relatively extended surfaces of practically any material which will withstand the temperature, a catalytic action is set up, the conversion of the heavy molecules into the lighter ones being apparently greatly expedited thereby. The catalytic surfaces may be of metal, such as steel, brass or copper, either in the form of plates or gauze, although mineral fibers such as asbestos or glass wool seem to be equally effective. The action of those surfaces, that of most catalyzers, is obscure, but it is a fact that when the catalyzing surfaces are used, the action is. so augmented that sixtyfive to seventy per cent. of the contents of the still can be satisfactorily transformed in the desired manner before it becomes necessary to draw off the residue, while Without them, only about one-third of the charge can be so transformed, the residue in any event having been modified in character, as well known and set forth in the later Burton patent referred to above.

When it is considered that a standard type of still in use for the purpose, has a capacity of eight thousand gallons, and that these stills are run in batteries of twelve or more, it will be seen that there is a very material advantage in the use of the catalyzing surfaces.

It seems to be immaterial whether the hydrocarbon is in liquid or vapor form when brought into contact with the surfaces. The surfaces may, therefore, be provided in the liquid, one means of supplying them consisting of the plates 12 (Fig. 2) pivote at 13 and adapted to interlock, as show like so as to form a covering conforming more or less to the curvature of the still-bottom,

but so supported to leave ample space for the free circulation of the liquid when boiling. The surfaces may, however, be provided in the form of plates l+l suspended above the liquid level (indicated by the dotted line and they seem to be equally elfective for the purpose. The two series of plates may be used, as shown, or either series may be used without the other, the form, disposition and arrangement of catalytic plates being apparently immaterial to the success of the operation. I

What I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is p 1. The method of treating the liquid portion of the arallin series of petroleum distillates having a boiling point of upward of 500 F. to obtain therefrom low boiling point products of the same series, which consists in distilling off a portion only of a liquid body of the said hydrocarbons at a temperature of from about 650 F. to 850 F.

under a pressure of upward of four atmospheres, in the presence of extensive catalytic surfaces, condensing the. distillate, and leaving a considerable proportion of liquid residue which has been subjected to the action of the said surfaces.

500 F. to obtain therefrom low boiling point products of the same series, which consists in distilling off a portion only of a liquid body of the said hydrocarbons at a temperature of from about 650 l to 850 FL under a pressure of upward of four atmospheres, subjecting the contents of the still during distillation to the catalytic action of surfaces supported in the still, condensing the distillate, and leaving a considerable portion of liquid residue which has been subjected to the action of thesaid surfaces.

3. The method of treating the liquid portionof the parafiin series of petroleum distillates having a boiling point of upward of 500 F. to obtain therefrom low boiling point products of the same series which conr sists in distilling off a portion only of a liquid body of the said hydrocarbons at a temperature of from about 650 F. to 850 F. under a pressure of upward of four temperatures, subjecting the contents of the still during distillation to the catalytic action of metal pl ates supported in the still, condensing the distillate, and leaving a considerable proportion of liquid residue which has been subjected to the action of said plates.

4. The methodfilof treating the liquid portion of the para 'n series of petroleum distillates having a boiling point of upward of 500 F. to obtain therefrom low boiling ROBERT E. HUMPEYS.

In presence of D. (J. THoRsEN, O. C. AVISERS. 

